If you aim to lose weight and keep it off, a slow and steady approach works best. Losing 2 lbs. per week is an achievable goal. You can eat a healthy, diverse diet, practice portion control and do daily workouts to burn calories. Trim 7,000 calories from your weekly intake, and you will lose 2 lbs. a week.
Lifestyle Changes
Make basic but key lifestyle changes. Unless it's a holiday or your birthday, swap dessert for a bowl of berries topped with nonfat vanilla yogurt. Instead of eating fast-food french fries, cut up fresh vegetables, and sprinkle them with balsamic vinegar. Avoid large, syrupy coffee drinks topped with whipped cream, and order black coffee with low-fat milk. These swaps save you as many as 1,000 calories a day, enough to lose 2 lbs. per week.
Healthful Diets
Fad diets may boost your short-term weight loss, but you are more likely to stay on a diet that's diverse. A Mediterranean diet allows you to eat from all the major food groups, but you will select more healthful options. You will eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as whole grains, plant-based proteins, seafood and poultry. You will eat healthy sources of unsaturated fat, such as avocado, olives, olive oil, nuts and seeds. You will also consume small portions of cheese and low-fat yogurt.
Portion Control
Watch your portion sizes. Even eating healthy foods can cause weight gain if you pile your plate high and go back for seconds. Fill half your dinner plate with grilled vegetables, fruit slices or salad. Leave the other half for your main dish and side dishes. Refrain from eating beyond being full. One way to slow down your eating is to set your fork on the table between bites. and drink a sip of water.
Exercise
Exercise daily. To burn more calories quickly, do moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Dancing, walking briskly, climbing stairs, jumping rope, doing power yoga, hiking a nature trail, swimming laps and doing martial arts all qualify. The faster or more intense your workout, the more calories you burn. Add a strengthening component by pumping weights while walking or doing calisthenics such as pull-ups, lunges, squats, burpees and push-ups.
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